We understand that the nature of sexual assault is a very difficult topic to cover, especially when you’re dealing with the some of the most surprising sexual assault statistics.
However, it’s also overlooked and not spoken of nearly enough today.
Bringing awareness requires knowledge. Knowledge is obtained through facts and statistics about a topic.
The goal is to inform and enlighten our readers to the sexual assault statistics for 2025 that we have gathered and are including in this article.
For instance, did you know that In America, every two minutes a person is sexually assaulted?
This data represents an average of nearly 240,000 (237,868) sexual assault victims each year.
It’s a disheartening thought that statistics reveal that this is one of the most rampant crimes perpetrated in America.
This holds true even with all the hard work that’s been done to empower sexual assault victims.
This hard work includes eliminating the stigma attached to reporting assaults, and by holding the perpetrators of these crimes accountable for their actions.
To say that sexual assault in American society, and even around the work, would be a seriously misstated understatement, with the countless sexual assaults that go unreported every year.
With those thoughts said, we will now get into the 10 key statistics and then list 30 of the most astonishing facts that we have found.
Key Sexual Assault Statistics 2025
- In 2019, sexual violence impacted over 40% of American women over their lifetimes.
- 298,628 women were sexually assaulted or raped in 2020, according to statistics in the United States.
- Only 310 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are report to law enforcement.
- Suicide has long-term effects like depressive or suicidal thoughts after a sexual assault.
- 60% of sexual assaults against inmates are committed by prison or jail staff.
- 31% of women who were sexually assaulted were stalked by their former or current partner or husband or ex-husband.
- 43% of men and 81% of women have experienced some type of sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime.
- Sexual violence is a costly crime related to medical, criminal justice, loss of productivity, and other costs.
- 80% of sexual violence cases are committed by a person the victim knows.
- In 2019, sexual violence cases cost the American people trillions of dollars.
Sexual Assault Statistics 2025
In this first section, we will share some initial sexual assault statistics before getting more specific with who, what, when, and where.
1. In 2019, Sexual Violence Impacted Over 40% of American Women Over Their Lifetimes.
This figure is much too close to half of all women in the United States. That said, any percentage of sexual assaults is unacceptable.
The statistics reveal that 41.8% of American women have been victimized by sexual assaults other than rape.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a survey from 2015, which showed that 1 out of every 5 women experienced an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.
2. 79.6% of Women Under 25 Years Old, Experienced Their First Completed Rape.
Another 42.2% experienced their first rape before they were 18 years old, according to sexual assault statistics.
Over a quarter of male victims of a completed rape, and 27.8% of them experienced their first before they age of 10.
Also, 21.4% of American male sexual violence victims were assaulted outside the prison system.
So, it’s not appropriate to make the claim that it happens solely in prison.
3. 298,628 Women Were Sexually Assaulted or Raped in 2020, According to Statistics in The United States.
It’s a fact that women are sexually assaulted much more than men in America. This doesn’t make any assault on a man less heinous, it’s just one of the statistics.
In 2019, there were 406,970 women sexually assaulted and 21,320 men. While the figure for women is lower in 2020, it’s still incomprehensible.
Also, 652,676 women were raped in 2019, which doesn’t include the sexual assaults reported in that same year.
4. Only 310 out Of Every 1,000 Sexual Assaults Are Report to Law Enforcement.
This data represents the fact that more than 2 out of every 3 sexual violence instances are unreported.
According to victims who didn’t report sexual assault, 20% of them said they feared retaliation, and 13% thought the police wouldn’t do anything.
Between 2005 and 2010, victims of sexual violence who didn’t report their assaults offered several reasons for not reporting it.
Feeling it was a personal matter accounted for 13%, and 30% didn’t cite a reason, or cited a different reason than the others.
There were 7% who said they didn’t want to get the perpetrator in trouble.
The belief that it wasn’t important enough to report accounted for 8%, as did those who reported it to a different official.
5. Only 7,816 Sexual Assault Victims from The Military Reported the More than 20,000 Cases.
Only 350 of these cases resulted in criminal charges being filed. Additionally, 100% of military survivors of sexual assault feel trapped and have suicidal thoughts.
The Independent Review Commission (IRC) made some recommendations to help reduce the problem of sexual assault in the military.
Removing military commanders from being able to adjudicate cases, enhancing evaluations of commanders, and victim advocates being independent of the chain of command were the recommendations.
6. Suicide Has Long-Term Effects Like Depressive or Suicidal Thoughts After a Sexual Assault.
This isn’t just a short-term trauma issue. This is a long-term issue that can impact victims of sexual assault regardless of age, gender, or how long ago it happened.
According to sexual assault statistics, 94% of women who have been raped experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
Roughly 70% of sexual assault or rape victims experience intermediate to serious distress. This figure is larger than is reported for any other crime.
It’s been revealed that 13% of all women who are raped attempt suicide.
Another 33% considered suicide, and 30% report feeling the symptoms of PTSD within 9 months of a sexual assault.
7. The Age Group that Has the Highest Risk of Sexual Assault Is Between 12 and 34 Years Old.
It’s sad, but factual information that those at highest risk of sexual violence of any kind are younger than 30 years old.
Ages 12-17 are at 15% more risk and those ages 18 to 34 are at 54% higher risk of sexual assault.
In contrast, people 65 and over are 92% less apt to experience sexual violence than the 12- to 24-year-old demographic, and another 83% less likely than the 25- to 49-year old crowd.
People between 35 and 64 are at 28% risk, and those 65 and older are at 3% risk.
8. Native Americans Are at The Highest Risk of Sexual Assault.
This data reveals that American Indians aged 12 and up experience roughly 5,900 sexual assaults each year.
They are also twice as likely to be victimized by sexual violence, including rape, compared to all races.
According to statistics, 41% of sexual assaults perpetrated on American Indians are committed by a stranger. Another 34% are by someone they know in passing (an acquaintance).
Nearly one-quarter of American Indians are sexually assaulted by a family member or intimate partner.
9. 60% of Sexual Assaults Against Inmates Are Committed by Prison or Jail Staff.
It’s estimated that about 80,600 inmates are sexually assaulted in jail or prison per year.
Statistics show that 60% of all sexual assaults perpetrated against inmates are committed by prison staff.
Over 50% of the intimate contact between a staff member and an inmate is non-consensual. In case you didn’t know, it’s illegal whether there is consent or not.
10. In 2019, About 4.4 Million Referrals Were Made to State Child Protective Services for The Well-Being and Safety of Roughly 7.9 Million Children.
The statistics regarding children in America in 2017 revealed that 9 out of every 1,000 children were victims of neglect or abuse.
In 2019, there were 4.4 referrals regarding 7.9 million kids whose safety and well-being were of concern.
Of these children, about 656,00 were considered victims of abuse or neglect.
Also, 7% were less than a year old, and 76.7% were younger than five years old.
While some of these children experienced one type of mistreatment, others experienced multiple forms of maltreatment.
The data revealed that 61% of these children were neglected; 10% were physically abused, and 7.2% were sexually assaulted.
Another 15.5% were discovered to have experienced at least two or more forms of maltreatment.
11. 31% of Women Who Were Sexually Assaulted Were Stalked by Their Former or Current Partner or Husband or Ex-Husband.
For reference, stalking is a crime in every state in the United States. Fewer than one-third of states categorize stalking as a felony when it’s a first offense.
Therefore, state laws don’t always protect victims of stalking.
The statistics show that 81% of women who were stalked, were also physically attacked or abused by a former or current partner.
Another 31% were sexually abused by a former or current partner or husband or ex-husband.
12. 43% of Men and 81% of Women Have Experienced Some Type of Sexual Harassment or Assault in Their Lifetime.
So, now you can see the difference between the figures regarding women and men who have experienced sexual assault of all types.
Men are just over half of the figure of women who experience this crime.
No matter what the figures show, there is nothing that makes sexual assault anything but a criminal act.
Sadly, 8 out of every 10 rapes are committed by someone that the victim knows.
13. 1 Out of Every 7 Boys and 1 Out of Every 4 Girls Will Be Sexually Assaulted by The Time They Are 18.
It’s hard to read and learn about how many young people are being sexually assaulted in the world, even though this is from U.S. sexual assault statistics.
While America is one of the worst countries for sexual violence, we know it happens in other countries.
As with most sexual assaults, these young people usually know their attacker. The figure for knowing their attacker is 93%.
Statistics have revealed that 88% of perpetrators are male, and that 34% are family members. These are some chilling sexual violence figures.
14 . Sexual Violence Is a Costly Crime Related to Medical, Criminal Justice, Loss of Productivity, and Other Costs.
The CDC reports that not only is the crime of all sexual violence a big problem in the United States, it’s commonplace. It starts early, and the costs are high.
Not only does it cost in medical, criminal justice, productivity, and other monetary costs that account for $122,461 per survivor; it also comes with long-term trauma and mental and emotional costs.
We can measure the financial costs of sexual assaults through accounting and statistical figures, but we cannot measure the emotional trauma part of the costs.
That cost is much too high to comprehend.
15. Texas and California Had the Highest Sexual Assault Rates in 2020.
Texas was at the top of the list in sexual assaults, which is obviously not something to be proud of, but it’s true.
In 2020, there were 13,509 forcible rapes reported in the state. Keep in mind, that this doesn’t include those left unreported.
In 2020, California came in with the second highest sexual assault rates with 13,449 reported in the state.
These figures do not represent the ones that weren’t reported, but they also don’t represent all types of sexual violence; only rape cases.
Sexual Assault Statistics and Societal Impact 2024
This section will discuss how sexual assault impacts American society.
16. Underreported and The Fear of Follow-Through Results in A Low Percentage of Sexual Assault Perpetrators to Go Unpunished.
In America, studies show that for every 1,000 rapes, only 5 receive punishment. That means that a shocking 995 perpetrators go unpunished.
Much of this problem is due to the victim’s fear of following through with their claims.
That doesn’t mean their claims aren’t legitimate. It means they have reason to feel scared. They may be afraid of retribution of some kind.
It can also be because they are so traumatized by the act, that going to court to relive it is too overwhelming.
While there are several non-profits nowadays to help support victims of rape or sexual violence, this support is wildly underutilized.
17. Sadly, Individuals with Disabilities Are Twice as Likely to Experience Sexual Assault as People without Disabilities.
This is another one of those difficult statistics to read about.
According to data in America, female and male people with disabilities are experiencing higher rates of falling victim to sexual violence.
The highest risk group of those with disabilities includes people with cognitive-functioning disabilities.
They are more than twice as likely to experience sexual violence than those with other types of disabilities.
18. 80% of Sexual Violence Cases Are Committed by A Person the Victim Knows.
The myth that most sexual assaults are committed by strangers has been debunked through statistics for several years.
The truth is that most sexual violence is committed by someone the person knows. That includes an acquaintance, partner, friend, spouse, or ex.
The thought process of sexual violence being disconnected from the victim is incorrect.
Over 80% of sexual assault cases reveal that victims know the person who assaulted them. This includes completed and attempted assaults.
19. In 2019, sexual Violence Cases Cost the American People Trillions of Dollars.
The economic costs in the United States was in the trillions of dollars in 2019.
The CDC conducted a study about the range of long-term economic repercussions of rape that extends beyond the justice system costs.
Taxpayers bear the massive costs over their lifetimes for this heinous crime.
We all know that money isn’t the only cost, and that sexual assault cannot be downgraded by turning into an economic strain.
However, number crunchers calculate these numbers because they need to be known.
20. The Age Group with The Highest Rate of Risk for Sexual Assault of Any Kind Includes Girls Between 16 and 19.
Young girls between 16 and 19 are 4 times more apt to be victims of attempted rape, rape, or any other sexual assault than the rest of the population in America.
Moreover, 46% of sexual violence victims were at home sleeping or going through their daily routine when it happened.
Sexual violence can happen anywhere and at any time.
For instance, 23% of cases where young girls are victimized occur when they travel to school, work, shopping, or running other errands.
Another 19% were at work, and 9% were at school.
21. Sexual Orientation Impacts the Likelihood of Falling Victim to Rape.
For instance, bisexual females are more at risk of being raped than heterosexual females.
Date rape statistics in America show that bisexual women are in a high-risk danger zone for experiencing rape by 46%.
For perspective, heterosexual women are at 17% risk, which is significantly lower than the risk for bisexual women.
Additionally, on college campuses, statistics revealed that in 2019, 47% of bisexual men were more likely to be victimized compared to 21% of straight men.
22. Childhood Sexual Assault Statistics Discovered that Nearly 93.98% of Child Victims Knew Their Attacker.
We’ve already learned that in 80% of sexual assaults, victims know their attacker.
For children who fall victim to sexual violence, (93.98%) of them know the attacker. This figure is related primarily to rape.
Sadly, their attackers were around a lot and the child was exposed to them for at least 10 hours, whether consecutively or in small segments.
In other words, the child had reason to trust the person.
23. False Rape Claims Account for Only 2% to 10% in The US on Average.
There is a stigma about false rape claims. According to statistics about rape claims, only between 2% and 10% are false.
Only 2.1% of rape claims were categorized as false in 850 cases, according to one police study.
Why would someone claim a false rape? Statistics show that 60% of false rape claims have emotional motives.
For instance, material gain or to cover up adultery or consensual sex. Another 26.6% make false claims for revenge, and 18% want attention.
24. Transgender College Students Are at Higher Risk by 5% of Being Raped.
According to a survey conducted by the University of Iowa, 18% of gender non-conforming and transgender students said they had been raped while in college.
That is 6% higher than the 12% recorded by female college students.
Unfortunately, only around half of transgender (46%), women (43%), and men (56%) know where to report sexual misconduct on their college campus.
This survey, “Speak Out Iowa 2021” was conducted through email sent to 27,464 students.
The results came from the 4,268 students who responded to it.
American Male Sexual Assault Statistics 2025
This section will include five sexual assault statistics specific to men.
25. In 1998, 2.78% Men in America Were Victims of Attempted or Completed Rapes.
Women, non-conforming genders, children, and people with disabilities aren’t the only targets of sexual predators.
Men can also fall victim to predators, even though they’re at a lower risk.
Roughly 3% of men in the US (1 in 33) had experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault (rape) in their lifetimes, according to 2018 data.
Furthermore, 1 out of every 10 victims of rape are male.
The highest risk demographic for men are those who are college students between 18 and 24.
Male college students are 5 times more at risk than male non-students.
26. More than 52.4% of Male Sexual Assault Victims Were Assaulted by Someone They Knew.
Only 15% of male sexual assaults are committed by strangers. Over half (52.4%) of men who are raped know their attacker.
This seems to be a pattern of behavior across all sexual assault cases regardless of the age or gender of the victim. They know the perpetrator.
In 2020, approximately 1 in 3 men reported experiencing sexual violence, stalking, or physical violence by their intimate partner during their lifetimes.
Almost 56% of men who fell victim to stalking or physical or sexual violence experienced these types of assaults before they turned 25.
27. Men Are Less Likely to Report Sexual Assault than Women.
Only 20.8% of men who have experienced sexual violence have reported it to the authorities.
Moreover, fewer than half (43.3%) of women who have experienced a sexual assault report it.
Some of the reasons these crimes go unreported involve the stigma of guilt, shame, fear, and other related emotions men and women have, especially after such a trauma.
28. 97% of men who experienced physical abuse, sexual assault, or rape by their partner were assaulted by a female.
While most victims of sexual assault are attacked by someone they know, men who are abused by an intimate partner are attacked by female perpetrators more than males.
The other 3% are male, but most male sexual assaults are perpetrated by women that they are or have been intimate with.
Moreover, 87% of male sexual assault victims of attempted or completed rape said the attacker was male.
While they may usually know the attacker, they are not or have not been intimate with them before.
Male victims of stalking report that 46% of the time they were stalked by women and 43% of the time they were stalked by men.
29. 53% of Men Who Experienced Sexual Violence Reported Unwanted Sex with A Women.
While 87% of men who have been sexually assaulted have reported that a man has assaulted them, 53% reported being forced to have sex with a woman.
Sexual assault is any sexual contact that is non-consensual, unwanted, forced, or coerced.
Unwanted sexual contact can occur due to being drugged, being too drunk, being high, or being otherwise incapacitated.
It’s not only through physical force. The inability to consent is just as bad as being able to consent, but being given no choice.
30. Men Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted May Lose Interest in Sex.
According to statistics regarding male victims, one sign of being sexually abused is that they have no sexual desire.
Other signs that a man has been sexually abused include low self-esteem, is abusive to his partner, turns to drugs or alcohol, fears intimacy, has suicidal thoughts, attempts suicide, and other signs.
There are at least 20 issues that a man can incur due to sexual trauma.
It doesn’t matter if it happened in his childhood, young adulthood, or during an abusive adult relationship.
The trauma is real, and it has a massive impact on their mental health, as it does with women.
FAQs
Why Don’t Children Tell Someone About Abuse?
Children who fall victim to any kind of physical or sexual abuse are understandably confused and conflicted, especially when the abuser is someone they know and trust.
They may want to protect a non-abusive parent from the truth.
The adult abuser commonly convinces the child that no one will believe them and even threatens them if they tell.
The abuser plays on the feelings of the child to keep them quiet. If the child loves or has affection for the abuser, they also want to protect them.
Also, they may have certain feelings about the event that are confusing to them.
This kind of confusion makes it more difficult for children to speak out about their abuser.
It also causes problems when the abuser offers gifts or treats for not speaking up.
These are some of the reasons this issue needs to be addressed in a gentle and appropriate way to children.
It’s not an easy thing to do. It’s also not talked about enough to raise awareness.
How Can a Man Be Sexually Assaulted by A Women?
There is definitely a stigma surrounding women sexually abusing men.
It’s a myth that women cannot sexually abuse a man.
There are several ways a woman can coerce, force, or otherwise sexually assault a man.
Some methods used include using a weapon, blackmail, drugging them, getting them drunk, and physical force.
Even the threat of violence is enough to force a man into having sex.
Sexual assault statistics have proven that women can be the abusers or attackers.
What Is Consent?
When it comes to sexual violence, knowing what consent is and isn’t is crucial.
Consent is defined as permission or an agreement that is expressed through affirmative, autonomous words or actions that are understood mutually by all involved parties to engage in a sexual at at a specified time.
If a person is underaged, they cannot consent to anything.
Consent is simply the ability to give someone permission to do something. A child cannot consent to adult activities.
Anyone under 18 years old cannot sign legal contracts.
Each state has their own laws regarding consent as it relates to sexual conduct.
What Is Coercion and Manipulation?
Hopefully you will never be in a situation where you have to determine what force, manipulation, or coercion means.
However, if you do, you will need this information.
Coercion and manipulation essentially play the same role.
They both relate to control, influence, and persuasion.
People who want to coerce or manipulate you will use dishonesty, threats, pressure, and other tactics to exploit your trust.
Coercion and manipulation are also used to abuse power and authority.
By making you feel like you owe them something, they can gain control over you and force you to do things you would not otherwise do.
They will also use coercion and manipulation to badger or pressure you into doing something.
The third factor is that they will make you fearful by threatening you if you refuse to comply.
Conclusion
Anyone can commit acts of sexual assault, regardless of age, identity, or gender.
Common sense dictates that infants, toddlers, and small children are not capable of this kind of crime.
Things that cause people to commit these heinous acts of sexual assault include, lack of control, mental illness, chemical imbalances, and those who are power hungry, out for vengeance, or otherwise a choice one makes to do so.
The perpetrator is always the one at fault, even when they are not reported or prosecuted.
The best way to support someone who has been a victim of any form of sexual assault is to believe them and get them the help they need to heal.
Encourage them to seek therapy and to speak out and speak up for themselves.
The lack of reporting such crimes is part of the problem with perpetrators not getting caught and punished. More support and advocacy is needed.
If you or someone you know has experienced or is experiencing any form of physical or sexual violence, reach out to them and try to help.
They will be resistant, but one day, they may be ready.
If you see a sexual assault happening in your neighborhood, at school, or anywhere, report it immediately to law enforcement.
Most college campuses have security or a police presence on campus. Ask how to contact them and keep that information handy.
After reading these astonishing and disturbing sexual assault statistics, you should have a clearer impression of the facts and figures compared to the myths and stigma surrounding sexual violence.
